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Protein-Packed Beef & Zucchini Lasagna

This comforting and warm, light but cheesy, Protein-Packed Beef & Zucchini Lasagna is delicious, nutritious, easy to make, and bound to be a crowd-pleaser. You'll love it!
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 9
Author Rachael DeVaux

Equipment

  • high speed blender
  • medium bowl
  • tall-sided skillet
  • large pot to boil pasta
  • 9x13 pan

Ingredients

For the Cheese Layer:

  • 1 (16 ounce) container whole milk lactose-free cottage cheese I like Good Culture
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese optional
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley plus more for serving

For the Meat Layer:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced about 2 cups
  • 1.5 pounds grass-fed ground beef I like 85/15 or 90/10
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium zucchini, grated about 2 cups
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 (32 ounce) jar Rao’s Marinara or your favorite marinara sauce

For the Pasta:

  • 9 ounces (1 box) brown rice lasagna noodles I prefer Jovial brand

To Assemble:

  • 8 ounces shredded goat mozzarella sub regular mozzarella or goat cheddar
  • 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • Avocado oil cooking spray

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375.

For the Cheese Layer:

  • In a high-speed blender, add the cottage cheese, garlic, egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend on low-medium until smooth and fluffy. Remove from the blender and transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the parmesan and parsley until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge until you’re ready to assemble.

For the Meat Layer:

  • In a large, tall-sided skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Once hot, add in the onions and cook until softened about 5 minutes.
  • Add the beef, breaking it up with the back of your spatula. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, for about 8-10 minutes. If needed, drain off any excess grease or liquid before transferring back to the heat.
  • Add in the garlic, zucchini, salt, and dried oregano. Stir to combine and cook until the zucchini has softened, about 4 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and add in the marinara. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld and to allow the sauce to reduce slightly. Remove from the heat.

For the Pasta:

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the pasta and cook for 4 minutes, just to par-cook the noodles. Drain and run the pasta under cold water, separating any pasta sheets that may have stuck together.

To Assemble:

  • Grease a 9x13 pan with olive oil. To the pan, add in about 1/3 of the meat sauce to the dish and spread evenly across the bottom of the pan. Layer the pasta atop the meat sauce in an even layer. Dollop about 1/3 of the cheese mixture atop the pasta and spread it around to create an even layer. Top with another 1/3 of the meat mixture and 1/3 of the shredded goat mozzarella.
  • Repeat this with the next layer, in the order of pasta, cheese mixture, meat sauce, and shredded cheese. Add another layer of pasta and top with the remaining cheese mixture, shredded mozzarella, and the parmesan.
  • Spray a sheet of foil with avocado oil cooking spray to prevent the cheese from sticking. Wrap the lasagna tightly with foil and transfer to the oven that's been preheated to 375. Bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes.
  • After 25 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. For an extra crispy top, place the lasagna on the highest rack and broil on high for 3-4 minutes, watching carefully so it doesn’t burn.
  • Allow to cool slightly before serving. Top with extra parsley and serve warm. Enjoy!

To Freeze:

  • Assemble the lasagna as you would if you were going to bake it. Allow it to cool entirely, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Wrap again with foil and transfer to the freezer. It will last in the freezer for up to one month.
  • To bake, thaw the lasagna overnight in the fridge. Before baking, set it on the counter to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Bake as directed. Depending on the temperature of the lasagna when you put it in the oven, you may need to add 10 minutes to the cooking time.